Volume 11 • Issue No. 3 May/June 2013
Okay, so it is my last note in the Mes-
senger as Pastor at St. Mark’s. Next newslet-
ter (July/August), hopefully you’ll see the
new pastor’s smiling face. But this is not my
last contact with St. Mark’s. I hope to con-
tinue to update those of you who are inter-
ested by e-mail and, Lord willing, the whole
church as I have opportunity. (If you want
to get our e-mail updates, contact me at
[email protected] - if you don’t have e-
mail, let us know your address.)
And I want to say a few things that I
may not get to say to each of you in person.
First of all, thank you! Thank you for en-
trusting me as your pastor with your spiri-
tual lives over the last 13 years. We have
shared wonderful times together and pain-
ful times. Through both, God has been at
work, shaping and molding our lives. The
position of pastor is one of the most inti-
mate and weighty of positions. I am deeply
grateful that each of you allowed me to pas-
tor you.
Second, stay true! Keep giving your-
selves to Christ and to each other – allowing
God to shape and mold you into what God
created you to be! That will take a lot of
work on your part – and God’s continued
involvement. I hope that each of you re-
mains a part of the community of faith at St.
Mark’s. I trust that each of you integrates
into your lives the daily disciplines neces-
sary to be shaped like Christ – prayer, devo-
tion… Third, support the new pastor. No,
he/she will not be like me. But there are a
lot of reasons why that is a good thing!
Each of us has gifts; each of us has weak-
nesses. Pray for the new pastor. Love them.
Invite them to eat with you or have a cup of
coffee with you. Share your story with
them. Come alongside them to let them
know you are in ministry with them and
want them to be in ministry to and with
you.
I look forward to the rest of the few
days I have with you. But these are my
words of love that I wanted to say to you as
we move into different parts of the world in
ministry, but continue to minister…
Together…
nate
NOT Nate’s Last Note!NOT Nate’s Last Note!NOT Nate’s Last Note!NOT Nate’s Last Note!
Our Vision & ValuesOur Vision & ValuesOur Vision & ValuesOur Vision & Values A loving community making disciples of Jesus Christ A loving community making disciples of Jesus Christ A loving community making disciples of Jesus Christ A loving community making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.for the transformation of the world.for the transformation of the world.for the transformation of the world. We are committed to We are committed to We are committed to We are committed to 1. Following Jesus1. Following Jesus1. Following Jesus1. Following Jesus 2. Transformational LOVE!2. Transformational LOVE!2. Transformational LOVE!2. Transformational LOVE! 3. Authentic Relationships3. Authentic Relationships3. Authentic Relationships3. Authentic Relationships
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Strategy:Strategy:Strategy:Strategy:
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Leisure Ministries Reservation Form ____ Yes, I/we am/are interested in attending the Leisure Ministry Luncheon on Wednesday, May 8th, 12 noon, in the church Fellowship Hall. Enclosed is $________________ for ____ reservations at $7.50 per person.
____ Yes, please sign me/us up for Disciple study, "Jesus In The Gospels" on _____ Mondays, 6:30 - 9:00 pm, or _____ Tuesdays, 9:30 am to 12 noon, beginning Sep-tember 9 and 10. Enclosed is $___________ ($49 per person), or ______I/we will pay when the class begins.
NAME(S):__________________________________________________________
ADDRESS(ES):_____________________________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS(ES): ______________________________________________
TELEPHONE(S): ___________________________________________________
Make checks payable to "St. Marks United Methodist Church" and bring or send to: LEISURE MINISTRIES, St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 2030 N. Hwy. A1A, In-dialantic, FL 32903.
Leisure Ministry LuncheonLeisure Ministry LuncheonLeisure Ministry LuncheonLeisure Ministry Luncheon
Leisure Ministry Events Leisure Ministry Events Leisure Ministry Events Leisure Ministry Events By Ernest BortnerBy Ernest BortnerBy Ernest BortnerBy Ernest Bortner
Wednesday, May 8th, Noon Wednesday, May 8th, Noon Wednesday, May 8th, Noon Wednesday, May 8th, Noon Wednesday, May 8th, 12 noon, in the church Fellowship Hall, is the date and time of our next Leisure Ministry Luncheon. Donna Riley and the Kitchen Team is preparing a full course luncheon featuring ham and all its trimmings. Nobody can top our Kitchen Ministry! And the price is right, namely, $7.50 per person. Why not call one of your friends and take them out to lunch! A real treat.
Then too, the program should be of interest to all of us. With us will be a group of medical professionals from different backgrounds and expertise who see the need to EMPOWER Seniors. EMPOWER stands for "Educating Melbourne & Protecting Our Wellness & Entitled Re-sources." Many seniors wait too long to ask for help and make uninformed decisions when a crisis hits. Better to understand the resources available to our entire Senior Community before a crisis oc-curs.
Home Instead Senior Care with provisions for home health care will be a primary focus. The panel will also have expertise in Assisted Living Facilities, Elder Law, Estate Planning, VA Aid and Attendance Benefits, Hospice, and Skilled Nursing Facilities (Rehabs). Here is your chance to meet, listen to, and ask questions related to health care resources.
All are welcome. Use the Reservation Form to sign up!
reach
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connect
GriefShare is for those who have lost a loved one by death, be it a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, friend. We meet on Mondays, 10:30am to 12 noon, in Room 12. Facilitators include Quilla Cartee, Sharon Apon, Pam Court, and Pastor Ernest. If you or someone you know is experiencing grief over the loss of a loved one, you (or they) are most welcome to attend. No need to sign up! Simply come. We use a study manual, professional video, and group discussion as a means to deal with grief. A cy-cle is 13 weekly sessions. We are currently in our third cycle. This ministry is biblically based and open to the community. Questions? Call Pastor Ernest at 777-0645.
GriefShare Brunch &
Town Meeting (aka COM)
May 12, Noon
Sit down and eat with someone (every
2nd Sunday) as the Kitchen Ministry pro-
vides a brunch for your enjoyment. The
cost is $5/person - but there is a family
rate, too! If you can stick around at noon,
we gather together to talk about the direc-
tion of the church and provide updates on
the status of the pastoral transition. Don't
miss it! This is your church. Invest in it!
Pastoral Transition NewsPastoral Transition NewsPastoral Transition NewsPastoral Transition News As Pastor Nate and family prepare to move to Zambia in June, we want to keep
you up to date on the transition and how it is all going. So here are some key facts
and dates:
Sunday, May 5 The new pastor for St. Mark’s is introduced
(though not likely in person)
Sunday, June 2 Pastor Nate's last Sunday at St. Mark's
Tuesday, June 4 The Steurys fly to Zambia
Monday, July 1 The new pastor begins at St. Mark's
Pastor Nate will be going out during pastors’ school as usual this year and this is a year for a class to graduate. St. Mark’s has historically bought bikes and Bibles for beginning pastors during the even num-bered years, then given a $100 graduation gift to each of the graduating pastors during the odd numbered years.
Pastor Nate, during this last visit learned that a number of the pastors graduating from the Congo pastors’ school do not have bicycles – and there are about 25 of them! Then there are about 18 pastors
graduating in Zambia who we would like to gift with a commentary and monetary graduation gift. That’s a lot of money at about $140 each – about $6,000. Think we can do it before Nate leaves June 4?
Supporting African PastorsSupporting African PastorsSupporting African PastorsSupporting African Pastors
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Sit down and eat with someone (every 2nd
Sunday) as the Kitchen Ministry provides a
brunch for your enjoyment. The cost is $4/
person - but there is a family rate, too! If you
can stick around at noon, we gather together
to talk about the direction of the church and
provide updates on the status of the pastoral
transition. Don't miss it! This is your church.
Invest in it!
Don't forget that the 4th Sun-
day of every month you can be treated
to 4 'f's:' Faith, Fun, Food & Fellowship!
Every month our theme is different
with a focus on one of the 4 verbs in
our strategy: Reach, Connect, Form,
Serve. Here's what's coming in March
and April! May 26 – Memorial Day Concert
and Service to our military families!
Don’t miss this opportunity to Connect
with each other and Serve those who
serve this country. More details com-
ing in your Worship Opportunities –
but Save the Date! V&B Ministry is an attempt for volunteers to
reach out to the sick, lonely, shut-ins, and oth-
erwise physically and emotionally challenged
who may benefit from a visit, phone call, and/
or a friendly note from someone at church. We
have a great team. The next team meeting will
be Saturday, June 8, 10:00 am, at Pastor
Ernest's house. Please disregard other days and
times since, for one reason or an-
other, it was necessary to
change them.
Interested in
being in-
volved? Have
questions? Call
Pastor Ernest at
777-0645.
F4UN Day
(the 4 is silent!) Noon, 4th Sunday of May
Vine & Branch Ministry
Brunch and Brunch and Brunch and Brunch and 'Town Meeting''Town Meeting''Town Meeting''Town Meeting' 12pm, Sunday, May 1212pm, Sunday, May 1212pm, Sunday, May 1212pm, Sunday, May 12
Bake Sale
The Lydia Circle will be hosting a bake sale on Sunday, May 5th. The pro-ceeds will go to-wards Under the Son Preschool. Stop in, get a goodie, and support this worthwhile program.
Sunday, May 5th
Happy Birthday!!
May
June
Leslie Spahr May 1
Benjamin George May 2
Joe Smith May 2
Heather Barnes May 3
Parker Boone May 3
Elinda Steury May 4
Bill Curtis May 7
Lori Baldwin May 7
Jacob Iparraguirre May 10
Rachel Watkins May 10
Ginny Wilson May 11
Milly Childress May 11
Tripp Rhem IV May 11
Patrick Osborne May 12
DeAnn Burchfield May 13
Sharon Apon May 15
Rich Sienkiewicz May 19
Eric Sorensen May 20
Gerald Bell May 20
Laurie Giniewski May 20
Betty Dean May 21
Cyndi Sweet May 21
Jen Vescelus May 22
Kevin Bowman May 22
Carl Adams May 23
Kayla Bock May 23
Dave Warren May 25
Dylan Wilde May 26
Julian Foster May 27
Will Giniewski May 27
Harry Jenkins May 28
Nathan Steury May 30
Tom Skibinski May 30
Jasmine Johnson June 2
Kimberly Starry June 3
Ted McGuire June 3
Bob Ketchum June 4
Sharon Houchens June 5
Janice Frederick June 6
Ariane Staples June 7
Carol Aumann June 7
Kathy Areshidze June 8
Lindsey Herring June 9
Megan Eldredge June 9
Chris Coble June 10
Angela Brown June 11
Jay Melton June 11
Becca Bowers June 12
Brian Parkhurst June 12
Mike Fischer June 12
Danny Keene June 16
Dori Hughes June 16
Josh Wildenthaler June 16
Roseanne Morales June 18
Tyler Marine June 18
Dana McLaurin June 19
Elly McInnis June 19
Cara Cagney June 20
Grace Record June 21
Jan Roper June 21
Lori Callahan June 21
June Pustelnyk June 22
Calvin Cagney June 23
Delayne Wells June 23
Allison Terry June 25
Riley Welcelean June 25
Keira Caster June 26
Mary Michael June 27
Jess Williams June 13
Keiden Garrett June 14
Quilla Cartee June 14
Happy Anniversary! Josh & Kayla Wildenthaer
May 5
Alan & Jane Mast May 10
Gene & Jan Semple May 12
Ken & Milly Childress May15
Edward & Miriam Dudek May 16
Jeff & Kim Krupinsky May 21
Joey & Sandra Meggs May21
Chris & Jen Vescelus May 22
Jim & Elaine Butts May 27
Jay & Sharon Essick May 30
Ernest & Martha Bortner June 1
Tim & Bonnie Chatterton June 2
Patrick & Laurie Giniewski June 15
Dave & Bonnie Warren June 15
Rick Rooney & Jennifer Nylander June 17
Joe & Martha Bellasalmo June 19
Gary & Sharon Houchens June 20
Derall & Lora Garrett June 29
Tom & Carol Kray June 29
Harlan & Liz Rise June 30
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Calling men of church and community interested in bible study, you are invited
to attend the weekly Saturday morning bible study, 8:30 - 9:30 am, at church,
Room 12. We are currently studying the gospel of John. We have coffee, snack
breakfast food, lively discussions, good fellowship, and prayer. Bring your bible,
or one will be supplied at the meeting. Our average attendance is 14. Mick
Rineer, Chris Patrick, and Gary Houchens take turns in being our bible study fa-
cilitators. Mac McInnis is President; Mike Fesler, Secretary; and David Bock,
Treasurer. Questions? Contact Pastor Ernest at 777-0645.
Starting Sunday, April 21 through Nate’s last Sunday (June 2), we will look together in worship at the Lord’s Prayer and, hopefully at the same time, learn to pray as never before. Nate has chosen this as his last topic to preach about largely because he sees it as the most important thing of all – communication with Christ. We will take a look at a phrase from the prayer each week as follows:
4/21 "Our Father, who art in heaven..."
4/28 "...hallowed be thy name."
5/5 "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
5/12"Give us this day our daily bread..."
5/19"...and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
5/26"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
6/2 "For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
form “Lord, teach us to pray”“Lord, teach us to pray”“Lord, teach us to pray”“Lord, teach us to pray”
Nate’s final worship seriesNate’s final worship seriesNate’s final worship seriesNate’s final worship series————Don’t miss it!Don’t miss it!Don’t miss it!Don’t miss it!
Men’s Fellowship Gathering
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Many have taken advantage of Disci-
ple 1, 2, 3, and 4. Now, "Second Generation
Disciple" has sprung up and there are those
who want to dig into that bible study. The
theme of the course is "Jesus In the Gos-
pels," with the goal of getting to know more
about Jesus. The sessions will be 2 1/2 hours
long and require daily bible study in prepa-
ration for the group meetings on Mondays,
6:30 to 9:00 pm in individual homes or Tues-
day mornings at church, Room 12, 9:30 to
12 noon. A pre-request is Disciple 1 or a
good understanding of the bible. If you
have questions, see or call Pastor Ernest at
777-0645. The cost for the study manual
and supplemental materials is $49.00.
The Monday evening class will begin
September 9th. The Tuesday morning class
will begin September 10. Each class is lim-
ited to 10 people. Use the Reservation Form
to sign up.
Second Generation Disciple
Wild, Dangerous,
ALIVE! Are these the attributes of a godly man? Think
back to your boyhood: Remember the boy-
hood dreams that had you tracking dangerous
villains, swinging swords, and storming the
castle? Adventure is what God planned for
you, John Eldredge invites you to join him in
this passionate, daring, and Wild at Heart
video series.
Be part of this life-changing, multi-media ex-
perience, John and his band of brothers will
show you how God can help you fulfill the vi-
sion He has for your life, and how to be the
man He wants you to be.
Thursdays, 6:30Thursdays, 6:30Thursdays, 6:30Thursdays, 6:30----8:30pm8:30pm8:30pm8:30pm
St. Mark’s Youth Room
Starting May 9thStarting May 9thStarting May 9thStarting May 9th
8 Week Video Study8 Week Video Study8 Week Video Study8 Week Video Study
Dinner included
(suggested donation $5)
Contact Derall Garrett for more infoContact Derall Garrett for more infoContact Derall Garrett for more infoContact Derall Garrett for more info
Cell: 813Cell: 813Cell: 813Cell: 813----748748748748----4423442344234423
Email: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected]: [email protected]
Pastor Nate will be involved with three different communities in the ministry in Zambia. The first community is the Zambian pastors – Nate hopes to provide retreat opportunities and resource the pastors as he is able through the district superintendents. The second community is a small group of about 12 Zambian business men and women whom Nate hopes to take through a three year journey of transformation through discipleship and business training. The third community is the community around Kafa-kumba Training Center through the ministry of the local church, where Nate will be the English-speaking pastor and work alongside the Bemba-
speaking pastor, whose name is…Pastor Nate (not Steury).
Elinda will be finishing her doctoral dis-sertation with the hope of receiving her doctorate in nursing, so will be very busy with her work on malaria. Mark will be involved with a soccer min-istry and Lindsey will be going to an International School and helping raise her two new nephews or nieces (neither is born yet).
Please keep each of them in your prayers. If you want to get their e-mail updates, contact them at [email protected] and ask them to put you on their e-mail list- if you don’t have e-
mail, let them know your address. Thank you for supporting them through this transition!
Spring brought new beginnings to Under the Son. We have caterpillars, which have formed their chrysalis and will soon be-come beautiful butterflies. Our chicken eggs will be hatching into little chicks, which will be guests at our school for a few days. We will be holding a celebration of our school year on May 14 at 6:30. Students, families, and all friends of Under the Son are invited to at-tend. There will be singing, a special pres-entation, and recognition of our VPK class as they will be heading for kindergarten in the fall.
We are looking forward to the coming school year with our returning students and also new friends. At Under the Son we en-courage children’s cognitive development and prepare them for kindergarten. We also strive to nurture children with compassion as we share God’s Love. Presently, we have 4 team members, which have their Bachelor’s
degree in Education while the others have obtained Staff Credentials or are working toward them. This shows the impor-tance our staff puts on increasing their knowl-edge as they strive to meet each child where they are academically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually while encouraging each child to reach the next level. We believe each child is unique and children develop at differ-ent rates. Our school is blessed to have our staff; women who love God, love His chil-dren, and work together to make our school a safe, loving, and caring environment. If you would like more information about UN-DER THE SON PRESCHOOL, please email: [email protected]
Under the Son Preschool
What’s Nate going to be doing in Zambia?
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serve
After their visit
to our sister
church in
Cuba, La
Nueva Jer-
salen, the Cuba
Missions team
has become aware of some
of the church’s more pressing needs.
The church is in need of classrooms. They meet
in an open area and carry the pews back and
forth to the sanctuary for worship. The desire of
the congregation is to make that area into a Fel-
lowship Hall and put a second floor above it for
classrooms. They would also like to complete
the pastor’s office. The cost for this work is ap-
proximately $15, 700.
The church has two missions:
1. The Airport Mission—so named because it is
near an old airport and there is a village there. A
worship service is held there now with palm
fronds as the cover and pews of chairs, benches
and railroad rails. There is a one room brick
house with a small kitchen where the missionar-
ies live. This property is available for approxi-
mately $1,200.
2. The Cristino Mission—The church holds ser-
vices in a courtyard in this thriving sugar cane
community. A lot is available there for approxi-
mately $500. The land would provide a space to
worship as well as plant crops to help supply
food for the local people.
Our Cuba relationship is known as Methodists
United in Prayer. Please keep our sister church,
Pastor Alexis and Diana and their family, and
their needs in your prayers. We also have a dedi-
cated Cuba Mission Fund. If you wish to contrib-
ute, please indicate “Cuba Mission” on your do-
nation.
The church in Cuba is alive and growing!
Cuba MissionsCuba MissionsCuba MissionsCuba Missions
We will begin hosting homeless families in August/
September and every 4 months thereafter for a week at a
time. The initial 5 families are now being carefully se-
lected. Thanks to your generosity we have collected all of
the items necessary to house them. However, we still
need volunteers to fill some service needs and to pur-
chase a few grocery items during the weeks we host.
Thank you for supporting this valuable ministry. If you
would like to assist with this ministry please contact Alice
Pavlock, [email protected], (240) 793-6273
Family Promise of Brevard
NON-PROFIT ORG.
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2030 N. Highway A1A
Indialantic, FL 32903
The Messenger is also available online at:
www.stmarksa1a.org